Charlie Baker on Drugs

Reduce opioid prescribing and drive Fentanyl off our streets

We began in the midst of an opioid crisis in which deaths, overdoses and prescriptions had been growing by double digits for more than a decade.
It was the worst case of negative momentum I'd ever seen. Today, with your help and support, we've reduced opioid prescribing by 29%. And overdose deaths have dropped for the first time in over a decade by 10%.
In addition, we have to deal with Fentanyl. Fentanyl was present in less than 30% of overdose deaths in 2014 but was present in more than 80% of overdose deaths in 2017. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are working this issue hard.
But we have more to do to drive this deadly drug off our streets.

A bipartisan fentanyl bill that makes it easier to arrest and convict dealers and traffickers is in your hands. I ask you to enact it as soon as possible.

Legal marijuana sales in Massachusetts by 2020

Gov. Charlie Baker today signed the marijuana compromise bill sent to him last week by the Legislature, setting the stage for creation of the regulatory structure to oversee legal marijuana sales in Massachusetts.

This legislative outcome means that
by January 2020, Massachusetts will be the only state in the country where all bans on adult-use marijuana businesses will require approval by local voters.

The compromise bill's most significant changes relate to local control and taxes.
The legislation adjusts the local control policy, allowing local government officials in towns that voted "no" on the 2016 ballot initiative to ban marijuana businesses until December 2019. For towns that voted "yes" in 2016, any bans must be placed on
a local ballot for voters to approve. The maximum sales tax rate (which depends on whether towns adopt optional local taxes) will increase from 12% to 20%. Under the bill, the state tax will be 17% and the local option will be 3%.

Don't legalize marijuana: it's unsafe & lowers IQ in kids

This November, voters in Massachusetts will be asked whether to legalize marijuana. Our state has already decriminalized the drug for personal use, and we've made it legally available for medical use. The question before us now is whether marijuana
should be fully legal and widely available for commercial sale. We think the answer is "no."

Where marijuana is legal, young people are more likely to use it: while use among minors has declined nationwide in recent years, states like
Colorado have seen an increase. Kids in states that have legalized marijuana have easier access to the drug. And many believe that, since the drug is legal for adults, it must be safe to use.

What the evidence shows us, though, is that marijuana is not
safe. Regular use that starts in adolescence has been shown to impair brain development, and even lower IQ. And increasingly, medical science is also showing a frightening correlation between regular marijuana use and severe mental health issues.

Vigorously oppose recreational marijuana but medical pot ok

Governor-elect Charlie Baker pledged to "vigorously oppose" the legalization of recreational marijuana, even as he plans to move forward with the implementation of medical marijuana.

Supporters of legalized marijuana have already started laying the
foundation for a 2016 ballot question to legalize recreational marijuana in Massachusetts. Similar ballot questions passed in Colorado and Washington in 2012.

Baker, asked about the issue in an interview with
The Republican/MassLive.com in Boston on Monday, said, "I'm going to oppose that and I'm going to oppose that vigorously, with a lot of help from a lot of other people in the addiction community."

Baker, a Republican, said many people dealing
with addiction believe marijuana use is a "significant first step" toward addiction to other drugs. "There's a ton of research out there at this point that says, especially for young people, it's just plain bad," Baker said.

Get dispensaries open for medical marijuana

[On medical marijuana], Baker declined to comment on his next steps regarding the licensing process or the provisional licenses granted by the administration of outgoing Gov. Deval Patrick. Baker said he needs to learn more about where the process sits
today and about the pending legal challenges. He reiterated comments he made on the campaign trail that he is disappointed the administration did not consult with experts in pain and cancer treatment.

Baker indicated that he will move forward with
trying to get the dispensaries open. "I think waiting is a bad idea. There are clearly people who are looking for Massachusetts to get its act together and move forward on this," Baker said.

Baker also stressed his commitment to addressing opiate
addiction--which has become a big issue over the last year after a spate of overdose deaths in Massachusetts. The state legislature passed a comprehensive bill aimed at addressing drug addiction by requiring insurers to cover substance abuse treatment.

Alternative incarceration & treat non-violent offenders

Republican candidate for governor Charlie Baker is unveiling what he's calling a comprehensive approach to tackling the drug addiction crisis in Massachusetts. Baker said he would require hospitals and first responders to report overdoses directly to the
Department of Public Health and mandate doctors consult the state's Prescription Monitoring Program before writing or renewing a prescription on an annual basis. Baker said the state should work with schools to develop age-appropriate programs to help
children understand the physical, social and economic consequences of addiction. He said the state should also ensure there are suitable in-patient facilities for teenagers and young adults fighting addiction.
Baker said he would also push for alternatives to incarceration, including treatment for non-violent offenders. Baker planned to announce the proposal Thursday in the city's South Boston neighborhood. (Associated Press, 7/31/2014)

Repeal mandatory minimum sentencing laws for drug offenses

Candidates for major offices this year in Massachusetts are backing the repeal or reform of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, according to a report released by Families Against Mandatory Minimums. Republican candidate for governor
Charlie Baker supported repeal of such laws. "No candidate was in favor of longer mandatory minimum sentences or additional mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses," the group wrote in its report, released just over a week before the
Sept. 9 primary elections. Legislative leaders vowed in 2012 to revisit criminal sentencing reform proposals in the 2013-2014 session, but never got behind legislation to fulfill that promise. Attorney general candidate Warren Tolman referred
the group to his "Smart on Crime" plan and wrote, "I not only support repeal of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, I will lead the fight to repeal them!" (State House News Service, 9/2/2014)

I've smoked pot many times, but legalizing is a bad idea

Q: Would you legalize pot?

A: I'm actually against legalizing pot.

Q: Have you smoked?

A: I have, many many years ago.

Q: Many times?

A: Haha, yes, so many times I can't remember. I've talked to a lot of law enforcement and in the health care
community and they all say the same thing which is they don't think it is a good idea. It is a more dangerous drug than people realize, and I take advice from people who know more than me. [So] I'm against this. (WAAF-FM, 2/21/2014)

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.

NORML is a nonprofit, public-interest lobby that for more than 30 years has provided a voice for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. We represent the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly and believe the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana should no longer be a crime.

NORML supports the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession
& responsible use of marijuana by adults, including the cultivation for personal use, and the casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This model is called "decriminalization."

NORML additionally supports the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could purchase it from a safe, legal and regulated source. This model is referred to as "legalization."

NORML believes that marijuana smoking is not for kids and should only be used responsibly by adults. As with alcohol consumption, it must never be an excuse for misconduct or other bad behavior. Driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited.

NORML strongly supports the right of patients to use marijuana as a medicine when their physician recommends it to relieve pain and suffering.

Lastly, NORML supports the right of farmers to commercially cultivate hemp for industrial purposes, such as food and fiber production.